Familial lenticular image

ABSTRACT

A chronological age altering lenticular image is comprised of a first photograph ( 62 ) of an individual at a first age ( 64 ). A second photograph ( 66 ) of the individual at a second age ( 68 ) and a third photograph ( 70 ) of the individual at a third age ( 72 ) are included in the composite which comprise the lenticular image. The first, second, and third photographs show the individual at progressively older stages in the individuals life. In another embodiment the first, second, and third photographs show the individual at progressively younger stages in that individuals life.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This is a divisional of application Ser. No. 10/011,662, filedDec. 5, 2001.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The invention relates in general to lenticular images, and inparticular to lenticular images which display images of an individualwhich gives the appearance of an individual aging or regressing as thelenticular image is moved.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] Lenticular image, as used herein, describes the class of imagesthat are formed on the back side of a lenticular support or substrateand which provide the ability to selectively view at a certain viewingangle a single image from a set of images. The lenticular substrate is aparallel array of cylindrical lenses, or lenticules, made of a suitableclear material which forms the substrate onto which specially formattedimage data is applied. This specially formatted image data as describedin the art, consists of separate, parallel image lines or image viewsplaced behind and along the length of each lenticule. These image viewlines are alternatively called lineform or integral image data. Thereare usually many distinct image view lines arranged in parallel behindeach lenticule. As the number of view lines behind each lenticuleincreases, the spacing between each line must decrease proportionallyfor a given lenticule size. It is not unusual to have image view linespacing on the order of 12 to 15 microns or less depending on theimaging technology used to generate the images.

[0004] The thickness of the lenticular substrate is designed so thatwhen the image data is applied to the back surface of the substrate, theimage view lines will be located at the back focal distance of each ofthe individual lenticules. This allows each image view behind a givenlenticule to be seen through the lenticule separately from the otherimage views as the lenticule is observed at different view angles. Thisis because the cone of light that emanates off a view line, either fromtransmittance or reflection, to the lenticule lens surface refracts andforms a mostly parallel ray of light exiting the lenslet at an angledetermined by the placement of the view line relative to the lenticule.The width of the parallel rays emerging from the lenticule will have thesame width as that of the lenticule and thus the view line's width willbe seen magnified to that of the lenticule.

[0005] The resolution of a lenticular image, in the directionperpendicular to the lenticules, will always be equal to the pitch ofthe lenticular array. The actual number of different images that can beseen as the viewing angle changes will be the number of image linesplaced behind each lenticule. Of course there will always be a practicallimit on exactly how many distinct views can actually be resolved. Thislimit will be determined by such things as the optical quality of thelenses of the lenticular substrate, the resolution of the media used toform the image lines and the manufacturing tolerance for the thicknessof lenticular substrate.

[0006] Viewing of individual images is accomplished by the cylindricallenses and the fact that they restrict the view each eyes sees. Thechanging of views that are visible to each eye is accomplished bychanging the viewing angle of the eyes relative to the centerline of thelenticules. This means that either the lenticular media must be rotatedor the location of the viewers eye must be physically moved to see thedifferent image views of the lenticular image. Therefore, smalllenticular cards are usually held in the hand and rotated, while largelenticular images are usually backlit and firmly mounted with thelenticules in the vertical direction, requiring the viewer to walk pastthe lenticular image.

[0007] Depending on the content of the original source images and howthese source images are formatted and applied to the lenticular arraysubstrate, different lenticular image effects can be produced. If theoriginal image source data contains multiple parallax images of a scene,the data can be formatted onto the lenticular substrate in such a way asto produce an autostereoscopic image. In this instance the lenticulesare oriented vertically as a person views the stereo image. Since eacheye views the lenticules from different angles, each eye sees differentviews behind the lenticules and the image appears to have the quality ofdepth.

[0008] Another common use for lenticular imaging is to view motion ordynamic image content. In this case a temporal image sequence, whichmight be from a video clip, is sampled, formatted and applied to thelenticular substrate. When used in this application the lenticules areoriented horizontally and in this case each eye will see exactly thesame view. The lenticular image can then be rotated by hand along thehorizontal axis of the image so that the eyes see sequences of imageviews producing the effect of motion or scene change.

[0009] Another variation is to place several different image scenes insequence together on one lenticular card forming a collage. The imagesmay be thematically related but the individual images themselves areusually different pictures. Thus the images may be scenes relating to afamily vacation or perhaps a wedding. The number of individual picturesdisplayed on this type lenticular card is usually limited to two tofour. This is due to the fact that as more pictures are added to thelenticular card each individual picture will be seen over a smallertotal viewing angle. This makes it difficult for the person viewing thecard to see only one image at a time.

[0010] It is desirable to have a lenticular image made up of photographsof an individual taken at different periods in an individuals life andthat give the appearance of the individual aging as the image isrotated.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0011] According to one aspect of the present invention a chronologicalage altering lenticular image is comprised of a first photograph of anindividual at a first age. A second photograph of the individual at asecond age and a third photograph of the individual at a third age areincluded in the composite which comprises the lenticular image. Thefirst, second, and third photographs show the individual atprogressively older stages in the individuals life. In anotherembodiment the first, second, and third photographs show the individualat progressively younger stages in that individual's life. As thelenticular image is rotated the individual appears to age. If thelenticular image is rotated in the other direction the individualappears to grow younger.

[0012] According to another embodiment of the present invention alenticular image is comprised of photographs of an individual taken atdifferent times in the individual's life. For example, a child may havea photograph taken at school in the first grade, second grade, and thirdgrade. These photographs are compiled into a lenticular image showingthe student's face as he or she matures. Alternatively, if viewedstarting from the most current photograph, the student's lenticularimage would regress to the youngest age in the collection ofphotographs. Although three photographs are used in this example, manymore photographs may be used, for example, photographs of the individualtaken at grade one through grade twelve.

[0013] An alternate embodiment of the age regression lenticularphotograph includes morphing each year's photographic image tostandardize the size of the face in each photograph. Another embodimentautomatically centers the face on each photograph based on a position ofthe subject's eyes, so that the face does not appear to move as thelenticular image is rotated. Yet another embodiment standardizes abackground color in each photograph for a greater sense of continuity,and to focus attention on the subject's face rather than the background.A further embodiment of the invention uses computer generated agemorphing of a single photograph to produce multiple images of anindividual which are used for a composite lenticular image. Yet anotherembodiment employs computer generated age morphing to provide additionalphotographs for a composite lenticular image between two widelydisparate photos taken many years apart of an individual.

[0014] The invention and its objects and advantages will become moreapparent in the detailed description of the preferred embodimentpresented below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a typical, prior art lenticularimage card.

[0016]FIGS. 2A and 2B are schematic views illustrating how thelenticules provide selective image viewing allowing only one image viewto be observed from a particular viewing angle.

[0017]FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic view of the process of formatting imageinformation from source pictures to be placed onto the image layer.

[0018]FIG. 4 is a schematic view illustrating how the viewing distanceof a lenticular image is defined.

[0019]FIG. 5 is a schematic of a lenticular image according to thepresent invention held at a first position showing a photograph of anindividual taken at a first age.

[0020]FIG. 6 is a schematic of a lenticular image according to thepresent invention held at a second position showing a photograph of theindividual shown in FIG. 5 taken at a later age.

[0021]FIG. 7 is a schematic of a lenticular image according to thepresent invention held at a third position showing a photograph of theindividual in FIGS. 5 and 6 taken at a yet later age.

[0022]FIG. 8 are schematic representations of how the compositephotographs of a lenticular image would be resized and centeredaccording to the present invention.

[0023]FIG. 9 is a schematic of a photograph of a second individual whichwould be used in a lenticular image.

[0024]FIG. 10 is a schematic representation of a plurality ofintermediate morphed images.

[0025]FIG. 11 is a schematic of a photograph which would be used in alenticular image of yet a third individual preferably a member offamilial group comprised of the second and third individual.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0026] The present invention will be directed in particular to elementsforming part of, or in cooperation more directly with the apparatus inaccordance with the present invention. It is to be understood thatelements not specifically shown or described may take various forms wellknown to those skilled in the art.

[0027]FIG. 1 is a typical lenticular image with a clear lenticularsubstrate 10, having a back surface 13 and a front surface 15 wherein aparallel array of cylinder lenses or lenticular lenses 18 have beenformed. The curvature of the lenticules and the thickness of thesubstrate is such that the flat back surface 13 is at the focal distanceof the lenses. Onto the back surface 13, is applied an image bearinglayer 12 which contains the specially formatted image data. The imagedata behind lenticule 17, is partially shown for simplicity as twoparallel lines of image points 20 and 26, the different image contentrepresented as triangles and circles. In reality every lenticule willhave multiple image view lines formed behind it on the image bearinglayer.

[0028] The image bearing layer must be accurately registered with thelenticular array both in parallelism and position in order for thelenticular image to appear correctly. Depending on the type of imagebearing layer 12, there may also be a diffusive reflective layer 19laminated to the image bearing layer. This diffusive reflective layer 19is provided to reflect light directed from the lenticule side back outso the images can be viewed from the front. Alternately, some lenticularimage cards are viewed in a transmissive mode, where the diffusivereflective layer 19 does not reflect but transmits and diffuses lightfrom a source coming from behind.

[0029]FIG. 2A depicts a side view of lenticular substrate 10, with anarray of lenticular lenses 18. Only three lenses are shown. When diffuseambient illumination light sources 14 and 16, pass in front of thelenticules through the lenses and clear substrate, it illuminates theimage bearing layer 12 on the back surface 13 of the lenticularsubstrate 10. A cone of illumination will then reflect off diffusivereflective layer 19 and image point 20 of the image bearing layer 12 andback out through the lens. However, because the image layer is at thefocal distance of each lenticule, the light cone coming from any spot onthe image layer will emerge as a collimated beam 22 from the surface ofthe lens. The exact angle of the collimated beam with respect to thecenter line of the lenticules depends on the location of the image spotrelative to the center of the lens through which the light istransmitted. In FIG. 2A, image point 20 is located exactly on the centerline of the lens and so the collimated beam emerges parallel to thecenter axis of the lens.

[0030]FIG. 2B depicts a different image point 26, which is at a distance28 above the lens central axis. Because of this, the cone of light fromimage point 26, emerges from the lenticule at an angle 60, with respectto the lens central axis. Hence, it can readily been seen that imagepoints 20 and 26 can be viewed through the same lenticule but atdifferent view angles. When a viewer's eye is looking at a lenticularimage, the particular image spot visible to the eye depends upon theangle of the eye's viewpoint with respect to the center line of thelenticular media. The ability of lenticular images to selectively seedifferent image views at different viewing angles produces all the imageeffects such as autostereoscopic 3D, motion, and collages. Discussionsfrom this point on will focus on the type of lenticular images where theimages are viewed with the lenticules oriented in the horizontaldirection.

[0031]FIG. 3 schematically represents how image data is formatted behindeach of the lenticules to produce a collage effect. In this figure thereare three different source images consisting of a circle 30, a triangle36, and a square 42. Each of these images is sampled in the verticaldirection at the resolution of the final lenticular image. Since thereare a total of nine lenticules on the media in this example, each imagemust be sampled to form lineform images of nine lines. The source imagesare shown sampled to the left of the original images as circle 32,triangle 38 and square 44. The image sampling in the horizontaldirection can be at a different resolution and is typically much higher.

[0032] The sampling process is usually done using digital scanning andimage processing techniques to produce the lineform images. Once thethree images have been sampled they then are formed into one compositeimage file and printed onto the image bearing layer 12. This is done byinterlacing the individual lines from each image. Since there are threesource images there will be three image view lines behind eachlenticule. The image data is then formatted so that the first line ofeach image is placed behind the first lenticule. As shown in FIG. 3,line one of circle image data 32 is placed behind the first lenticule atimage location 34. Line one of the second triangle image data 38 isplaced behind the first lenticule at location 40, and line one of thethird square image data 44 is placed behind the first lenticule atlocation 46.

[0033] The second line of each image is then interlaced so that theyfall behind the second lenticule. This is continued until all imagelines from each source image have been interlaced.

[0034] As shown in FIG. 3, all image view lines from top to bottom areplaced exactly behind each lenticule. In fact if the image data isapplied to the lenticules in this way a problem will exist for theviewer looking at the images through the lenticules. The problem is thatthe viewer will not be able to see any one view completely at a givenposition. This is because all parallel rays emerging from the image viewlines from one image will not converge to the viewer's eye position.However, the image views can be made to converge by spacing the imageview lines at a pitch slightly lower than the pitch of the lenticules.Increasing the magnification of the image data in the vertical directioncauses the image data to be slightly longer than the lenticular media.This produces a convergence of image view lines to a specified point andis termed the viewing distance of the lenticular image.

[0035] This is illustrated clearly in FIG. 4 which shows the rays 52 ofthe image views of the center image of triangle image point 20converging to the viewer's eye 50 at the viewing distance 54 of thelenticular image. This convergence is caused by the fact that the imageview lines are displaced from being centered on lenticule center lines58 as the distance of the image view lines get farther from thelenticular image center.

[0036]FIG. 5 is a schematic representation of a first photograph 62 of afirst individual 64 taken at a first age. This first photograph, whichis part of a interleaved composite forming a lenticular image asdiscussed above, is shown when held at a first position as shown. FIG. 6shows a second photograph 66 of the same individual taken at a differentpoint in that individual's life 68. Once again, this second photograph66 is part of an interleaved composite image which forms the lenticuleimage and can be viewed when the lenticular image is held at a secondposition as shown.

[0037]FIG. 7 shows a third photograph 70 which shows the same individualshown in FIGS. 5 and 6 taken at a third age 72. The third photograph 70forms part of the composite lenticular image and is viewable at a thirdangle as shown in FIG. 7.

[0038] In operation, as the lenticular image is rotated from the firstposition shown in FIG. 5, to the second position shown in FIG. 6, to thethird position shown in FIG. 7, the individual appears at three distinctperiods of life progressing in age. If the lenticular image was rotatedin a reversed direction starting with FIG. 7 and proceeding to FIG. 5,the lenticular image would show the individual at the same distinctperiods in life in reverse order and appear to regress in age. Althoughonly three images have been shown it is anticipated that more imageswould be used for a smoother transformation between the oldest and theyoungest image in the group of composite images which form thelenticular image. As the number of intervening images is increased theeffect of age progression or regression could be made to appear as acontinual aging process in either direction.

[0039] If only three images were available to form the chronological agealtering lenticular image, morphing software could be used to generateadditional images which would form part of the composite interleavedlenticular image to smooth the transition from one age to the other agefor the individual. This could be done even if only two photographs wereavailable, for example, if FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 show the individual at afirst age and at a second age were the only photographs available,morphing software could be used to generate a plurality of intermediatephotographs which would then be interleaved to form part of thecomposite photograph which made up the chronological age alteringlenticular image.

[0040] Referring now to FIG. 8, another feature of the present inventionis shown. It may happen that individual photographs, which are selectedto show an individual at different ages, are not oriented in a similarfashion. For example, the first photograph 62 shows the individual at afirst age 64 relatively centered in photograph 62. An off-centerphotograph 67 showing the same individual at a second age would notprovide a smooth, flowing, chronological age altering lenticular imageif it was interleaved with the first photograph 62. Contour mappingsoftware is then used to resize the image of the individual at a secondage 68 so that its relative position in the second photograph 66 isapproximately the same as the position of the individual at a first age64 in the first photograph 62. There are a number of other suitable waysavailable for resizing and centering the image of the individual at asecond age 68. One method would be contour matching software which wouldcenter the position of the individual at a second age 68 based on theposition of the individual's eyes 69 to bring them into relativealignment with the position of the eye 65 of the individual at a firstage 64.

[0041] Another problem that may be encountered is the backgroundfeatures of the different photographs may be distracting in photographstaken by a number of different people using different equipment atdifferent days and at different times. Thus, for example, the backgroundin the first photograph 74 may be red. In the off-centered photograph 67the background 76 may be blue. Commercially available software is usedto change the background color of one of the photographs, in this casethe off-centered photograph 67, to use the same background color as thefirst photograph 62. Some of the photographs may also have undesirablebackground features which would detract from the chronological agealtering lenticular image if left in the photograph. Thus, by way ofexample, a tree 78 in off-centered photograph 67 would also be removedto produce the second photograph in the composite image 66. Thisoperation is preferably done by using image altering software which iscommercially available but could be done manually, as could the otheroperations discussed above.

[0042]FIG. 9 shows another embodiment of the present invention whichshows a photograph 80 of a second individual 82. It may be desirable bysome individuals to emphasize the similarities in familial groups, suchas for example, a mother and daughter. FIG. 9 shows a photograph of adaughter 82, for purposes of illustration. FIG. 11 shows a photograph 90of yet another individual 92, in this case the mother of daughter 82shown in FIG. 9. Using these two photographs a plurality of morphingimages 84 are generated, shown schematically in FIG. 10, which provide asmooth transition of images between the daughter 82, shown in FIG. 9,and the mother 92, shown in FIG. 11. When the photograph 80 of thedaughter 82 the plurality of morphed images 84 and the photograph 90 ofthe mother 92 are interleaved to generate a composite lenticular image.The image will show the transition from the daughter to the mother. Thiswould emphasize familial traits in the two distinct individuals. Thistechnique could also be applied to individuals who are not part of thesame familial group. As discussed above, the two photographs 80 and 90may have to be altered to provide similar backgrounds in the photographand centering of the individual in the photographs.

[0043] The invention has been described in detail with particularreference to certain preferred embodiments thereof, but it will beunderstood that variations and modifications can be effected within thescope of the invention. For example, although photographs showing theface of individuals have been used the invention described herein couldbe used to show other features of individuals such as full bodyphotographs. The technique is also extendable to inanimate objects.

PARTS LIST

[0044]10. Lenticular substrate

[0045]12. Image bearing layer

[0046]13. Back surface

[0047]14. Diffuse ambient light

[0048]15. Front surface

[0049]16. Diffuse ambient light

[0050]17. Lenticule

[0051]18. Lenticular lenses

[0052]19. Diffusive reflective layer

[0053]20. Triangle image point

[0054]22. Collimated beam

[0055]26. Image point

[0056]28. Distance

[0057]30. Circle

[0058]32. Circle image data

[0059]34. Image location

[0060]36. Triangle

[0061]38. Triangle image data

[0062]40. Location

[0063]42. Square

[0064]44. Square image data

[0065]46. Location

[0066]50. Viewer's eye

[0067]52. Rays

[0068]54. Viewing distance

[0069]58. Lenticular lines

[0070]60. Angle

[0071]62. First photograph

[0072]64. First age of individual

[0073]65. Position of eye

[0074]66. Second photograph

[0075]67. Off-center photograph

[0076]68. Second age of individual

[0077]69. Position of individual's eyes

[0078]70. Third photograph

[0079]72. Third age of individual

[0080]74. Background of first photograph

[0081]76. Background of second photograph

[0082]78. Tree

[0083]80. Photograph

[0084]82. Daughter

[0085]84. Morphing images

[0086]90. Photograph

[0087]92. Mother

What is claimed is:
 1. A familial lenticular image comprising: a firstimage of a first individual; a second image of a second individualwherein said second individual is related to said first individual; aplurality of computer generated morphed images wherein each of saidplurality of morphed images shows a progressive stage of morphingbetween said first individual and said second individual.
 2. A familiallenticular image as in claim 1 wherein a software program resizes asecond image of said second individual to approximately a size of saidfirst image of said first individual.
 3. A familial lenticular image asin claim 1 wherein a software program centers a position of said secondindividual in said second image to a relative position in said secondimage to approximately the same relative position of said firstindividual in said first image.
 4. A familial lenticular image as inclaim 3 wherein said positions are centered based on a relative positionof said subject's eyes.
 5. A familial lenticular image as in claim 1wherein a background color in each of said images is standardized.
 6. Afamilial lenticular image as in claim 1 wherein morphing softwaregenerates additional images between said first and second image so thatsaid first individual appears to transition at a regular rate from saidfirst individual to said second individual.
 7. A familial lenticularimage as in claim 6 wherein morphing software generates additionalimages between said second and a third image of a third individual sothat said second individual appears to transition at regular intervalsfrom said second individual to said third individual; and wherein saidthird individual is related to said second individual.
 8. A familiallenticular image as in claim 1 wherein rotation of said lenticular imagecauses said first individual to appear to transition to said secondindividual.
 9. A familial lenticular image as in claim 1 whereinrotation of said lenticular image causes said second individual toappear to transition to said first individual.
 10. A lenticular imagecomprising: a first image of a first individual; a second image of asecond individual; and a plurality of morphed images wherein each ofsaid plurality of morphed image shows a progressive stage of morphingbetween said first individual and said second individual.